Cleo's Mom

Apparently the serious republican leaders are planning to stop Sarah Palin from becoming the republican nominee for president in 2012. I, on the other hand, am going to push for a Sarah Palin/Christine O'Donnell ticket for 2010 Caribou Barbie and Broomstick Barbie. Love it!!! :thumbup:

Hey, Leroyspuds. Welcome back. I've missed your posts. Yeah, I can't wait for things to get better. The tea party wants smaller government and less spending. How does that reconcile with their equal yapping about the government doing something about jobs? Wouldn't that be bigger government? More government intervention? Like I said, I'll give them to March 1st, 2011 to create the 8 million jobs that were lost due to their failed economic policies. I'm being more patient than they've been with Obama. And repeal/reform healthcare? Like they give a rat's patuty about healthcare. If they were serious, why didn't they do anything about it when they controlled congress from 1994-2006 much of the time under a republican president? Oh, that's right - they supported the bush healthcare plan: Go to the ER. BTW, the insurance companies got what they wanted with the health insurance mandate (lots of healthy people buying their product) but now are balking and giving tons of money to the republicans to repeal the healthcare regulation that requires insurance companies to spend 80% of their money on actual healthcare. On healthcare and not on big salaries, bonuses and "administrative" costs? Oh, perish the thought!! :thumbup: It will just be more tax cuts for the wealthy. That's all they ever talk about as a solution to everything. How's that trickle down working for ya?

I've been taking fish oil for years and while it helps with my triglycerides, it hasn't helped with cholesterol. The statins are actually fairly safe drugs and are an important part of care for those with high cholesterol, especially those with a family history of heart disease, like me. All drugs have side effects, just like high blood pressure, diabetic and anti-depression drugs many on here take. But you have to weight the benefits vs risk. If you have high cholesterol, lowering it with diet alone is usually not effective to get it to a normal level.

Despite all my weight loss and the fact that I have been on pravastatin for years, my HDL just will not go up to an acceptable (to me) level. My total cholesteral is okay, but that HDL level is more important. I have a family history of heart disease and stroke, so I am concerned. My doctor just doubled my dosage. I eat healthy and exercise but my numbers were slightly better before my weight loss. Go figure. I will get more blood work later this month and see if this helps.

I talked to someone in administration at AGH and they said Dr. Urbandt's office is staying where it is in the Cercone Bldg. in Bloomfield and he will continue to see patients there. She said he might see patients on a limited basis at AGH. Surgery will be done at AGH, too. So, that is a relief, at least for now.

Well, for your sake and that of the other employees I hope it stays in business. UPMC needs some competition but they have become a dominant force in the region and are taking over, it seems. They closed Braddock hospital and are building that hospital in Monroeville that will impact Forbes for sure. Good luck with your job and band.

I think a lot of people on here would disagree with you on #13. Those are the people for whom the band has worked as it is supposed to. However, the band is promoted as only helping to lose 50% of your excess weight, so if you have 100 lbs. to lose, the band will help with 50. #9 - While the band can be surgically repositioned, it isn't something that is routinely or commonly done unless there is some type of complication requiring it. #11 - not everyone achieves this with the band.

That's why I bought candy I don't like - Skittles - nothing chocolate. Nothing to tempt me. I will give the leftovers to the people at my PT tomorrow.

My dil works at Magee and she said the general consensus is that in a couple of years West Penn Hospital will be closed completely. That would be sad if it happens.

When after 23 years on Synthroid (the last couple generic), at the same dosage my blood results were all over the place - my PCP couldn't find a new dosage that worked. One was too much, the other too little. So I went to an endocrinologist. He said not to take generic synthroid, only the name brand, and to take it on an empty stomach. After some tweaking of dosages, I found that I have to take 2 synthroid pills of different strengths to get the right dosage. I will not use generic synthroid again. For me it didn't work.

I know the ER will close in January. They are keeping the burn unit and neonatal ICU and a few other specialties at West Penn but it seems like they are moving most things to Allegheny General. Did you used to see Dr. Urbandt in Monroeville? I know he used to have an office there. UPMC is building a facility there so maybe someday they'll have bariatric offices there, too. That would be great for me.

I really like him too but I don't do well with driving in the city and get very stressed out when I have to go to his appts. I am in the eastern suburbs and going to Allegheny Hospital is definitely out for me. But I will call his office on Monday and see what he is going to do. I can handle going to Magee better but it's still not my idea of fun. Who knows how much longer West Penn is going to be able to operate? I think they're in real financial trouble.

They only have a few things on their agenda Tax cuts for the wealthy Tax cuts for corporations De-regulation of corporations Privatize social security Repeal anything passed by democrats and Obama Country club republican Mr. Tan Man Boehner, said there will be no compromise on their agenda. And Mitch McConnell's most pressing issue is making sure Obama is a one term president (screw the unemployed and economy).

Just saw in the paper this morning that the bariatric center at West Penn Hospital will be moved to Allegheny General Hospital. That's not good for me, so I will be looking for a doctor at Magee Womens Hospital to switch to.

You sound like you are too tight. Plus "I throw up more than before" is not how the band should work. You should NOT be throwing up at all. Period. Vomiting, reflux, heartburn, sore throat, etc.. are not acceptable side effects of the band in order to lose weight. You should not put up with them. You do so at your own peril and possible damage to your band, esophagus and health. Discuss getting a slight unfill with your doctor. In the meantime take something OTC for heartburn. It might help with the sore throat.

Which GOP policies make us like the third world? Fund the military, cut everything else. Cut the USDA and food programs Cut the Dept of Education Deny climate change Deny peak oil Create divisions using Christianity Tax cuts to corporations and top earners Lowering the minimum wage Refuse to spend money on crumbling infrastructure Vote no on every #&$ ! piece of legislation that might steer us out of the ditch Repeal the health care bill Repeal financial reform Every last one of the above. dailykos

I was told to take synthroid on an empty stomach. Nexium, too. At least an hour before food. So I take them around 5-6 AM when I get up to use the bathroom. I was also told not to take the generic form of synthroid - that it doesn't work as well. I have been on synthroid for 30 years.

The current congress hasn't caused the economic problems, they are still trying to clean up the messes of 8 years of bush. Fact: In the last 9 months, more private sector jobs have been created than in the 8 years of bush. We went from losing 700,000 jobs per month when Obama took office to positive job growth. Fact: When Obama took office, the stock market was about 6000 pts. It recently broke 11,000 Fact: In my state the unemployment rate would be 15%, instead of 9%, without the stimulus (an independent research center reported) Fact: Corporate America is sitting on about 2 trillion in assets. So the money is out there. If all of this is the wrong direction, I don't want to be right. But the teabaggers want to take the country back(ward).

I made the mistake of choosing a general surgeon, who along with his partner, jumped on the WLS bandwagon. I had several appointments canceled due to their emergencies and had a few long waits in the waiting room to see him. I switched to another doctor, who only does WLS, seven months after my surgery because of the realization that this former doctor had poor follow up skills and didn't know how the band worked, overfilled me, and then blamed me for the resulting problems. That is why I offered the advice. I wish someone had offered it to me before I made my mistake.

Have the doctor who sent you for the independent upper GI to give you a letter stating the band is in the wrong position and needs to be removed. Get a copy of this upper GI report and any CD's of it available (contact hospital records). Send these to the insurance company along with the doctor's letter. Don't give up the fight. If the band has slipped, then you and this doctor need to convince your insurance company that keeping it in will be very costly for them if you develop complications from the wrong position of the band and that it is medically necessary for it to be removed. The insurance company always denies at first hoping that people will just quit bothering them - and many do. Become a thorn in their side. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. I have lived by that and it has served me well. And one more thing - it is very common for doctors (and some on here) to blame patients for all band problems. You are not alone in that the band failed you.

I've read some of the OP's other posts. It seems like she is having a hard time with the band, her PCOS and is reaching out for some help. Some might consider that a negative mindset. So what? Not everyone is a glass half-full type of person and never will be. Some positive suggestions would be helpful. Like call the doctor's office in advance to find out how far behind he is. Or find out if it is even necessary to see the doctor to get the referral. Perhaps they can issue one based on your last visit. It never hurts to ask. Also, if the OP is truly depressed perhaps she can discuss that with her surgeon or PCP and can get help for that. In addition, when making your selection for a WLS surgeon, it is best to choose one who ONLY does WLS and is not a general surgeon, too. General surgeons have many emergencies that bariatric surgeons generally do not. So, waiting time would be more predictable.

Patients who make appointments in advance are not in need of triage care. If they are, they should be going to the ER. And I don't think office hours with scheduled patient's appointments is the appropriate time to read medical journals. That should be done on the doctor's own time before or after all appointments.

The other day, Mitch McConnell rather candidly acknowledged that his single most important goal is to guarantee a one-term Obama presidency. This has been the goal of republicans and teabaggers since the day Pres. Obama was elected. It isn't about jobs, the economy, spending or the deficit. Those are smokescreens. It has always been about causing Pres. Obama to fail by obstructing everything on his agenda. So, if the republicans control the congress after the elections, I will be generous and give them to March 1, 2011 to create the 8 million jobs lost because of their former failed policies.

If having time to read, uninterrupted, in a doctor's office is acceptable to or pleasant for you- that is fine. But you can also do that voluntarily at a park or mall or library. However - Time is money to the doctor and as a patient your time is valuable too. Doctors overbook all the time. They schedule 2 or 3 people for the same time slot. Would your doctor sit and read a magazine and wait for you to show up? Use that opportunity to catch up on his medical journals? Why should your time be any less valuable? To make someone wait an hour for a referral is a reflection on a poorly run office. That is something that should be brought to the attention of the office manager and the doctor. And in my opinion, that is something you have control over.

teabaggers interviewed about their protests